ISCHGL, AUSTRIA IS CUT OFF BY MASSIVE SNOWFALLS

Four days of non-stop brings the total depth of snow on the mountain to eight feet (250cms).The main access road, along the Paznaun Valley from Landeck to Ischgl, was open at the weekend, allowing holidaymakers to get in and out of the resort. But since then the road has been closed as a precaution because of the risk of avalanches.

The road between the village of Kappl and Ischgl has been shut, as well as the road beyond Ischgl to the smaller resort of Galtur, also popular with British skiers.

"Although the roads have been closed, the resort itself has been operating as normal with skiers and boarders experiencing amazingly good conditions," said Paznaun-Ischgl Tourist Director Andreas Steibl.

"The forecast for the rest of the week is for sunnier conditions, so we don't think there will be problems with people getting in and out at the weekend," said Mr Steibl.

Ischgl Snow January 2012Ischgl Resort

British ski instructor Sarah Hannibal, who works in Ischgl, said: "The skiing conditions are fantastic, although obviously no one is going off-piste at the moment because of the amount of snow. It has been very windy at the top of the mountain which means visibility can be affected by wind-blown snow – but the holidaymakers are having a wonderful time."

Elsewhere in Austria St. Anton am Arlberg are reporting Powder conditions with no new snow forecast in the next 48 hours.

Snowboard Guide rating 9 out of 10
“Ischgl has plenty of good wide intermediate slopes, and hidden off-piste stashes. A super fast lift system, a season that lasts until May, great terrain park, and the most full on apres in the Alps, completes the package.”